


What are you smiling at?

by Leniam



Series: Alternatively [1]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternative Scenes, First Meeting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-09-27 01:45:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9944885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leniam/pseuds/Leniam
Summary: This is an alternative version of Will and Hannibal’s first meeting where the doctor decides on a more resolute approach.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Che ti ridi?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8670499) by [Leniam](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leniam/pseuds/Leniam). 



> This is a translation of my original story Che ti ridi? done by the talented  
> [BETWEEN-IRONANDSILVER](http://between-ironandsilver.tumblr.com/)  
> I can't thank her enough for the amazing job she's doing and the passion she puts in it. I'm so honoured.  
> And thanks to  
> [HANFANGRAHAMK](http://hanfangrahamk.tumblr.com/) for the support and the faith she put in my writing.  
> You're all so special to me.
> 
>  
> 
> This series will be a collection of fanfictions of different lengths made up of scenes I freely rewrote or modified.  
> This is an alternative version of Will and Hannibal’s first meeting where the doctor decides on a more resolute approach. I noticed we all tend to agree that Hannibal should have just confessed his interest right away, at least it would have taken Will less than three whole seasons to come to terms with it.  
> The title is inspired by Will’s line when they get to the construction site, shortly before everything turns into a bloodbath, as usual.
> 
> This story was originally for  
> [MATILDAPARACOSM](https://matildaparacosm.tumblr.com/) and still is, for her art and her support.

The fancy man recently introduced to him as Doctor Hannibal Lecter was now walking back and forth in Jack’s office with his hands in his pockets. He paused to curiously study the pictures of the young women pinned on the wall, and Will stole a quick glance.

His admiration for people like him was innate; the kind of people who could firmly shake your hand, greet you with a pleasant smile, and answer with “I’d love that!” when you offered a cup of coffee.

Will was just a bundle of problems, awkwardness and social anxiety, and he was so far away from him.

The doctor intervened while Will and Jack were discussing, and it almost sounded like an extreme attempt at getting Will’s attention.

He was not even subtle about it, actually. He behaved as if he had just been hired as host for a brand new talk show, _“Let’s psychoanalyse Will Graham”._

The man was there for a reason: Jack had called him, he called this doctor because he hoped he could help him finally get inside Will’s weird mind.

 

A shame, really, because the doctor was quite charming, and Will wouldn’t have minded getting to know him a little better, in any other circumstance.

 

He was so incredibly… radiant. If Will compared him to himself.

 

He was blonde, his clothes all light-coloured, but not too bright.

 

Still, the man was shining.

 

And smiling.

 

Which was a reaction people very rarely had, whenever they met Will; he guessed it was because of the dark, unfortunate atmosphere he was usually surrounded by.

 

This man, though, he kept smiling at him.

 

Will wouldn’t dare meeting his eyes. He felt embarrassed, uneasy.

 

The other man pointed it out, and that only made Will feel worse, so he got up and left. He made up an excuse about some lecture he was supposed to be giving, even though his next class started in more than an hour.

 

Uneasiness blossomed in his chest whenever the doctor observed him with that ravenous look in his eyes. He suddenly made Will feel like he was just some sort of delicious dish presented in front of the man.

 

 

 

 

The bathroom door opened.

Will stared at his hands as he held them under the water, so that he didn’t have to look up at whoever just came in and say hi.

“Will, isn’t it?”

That accent, that voice.

Will acknowledged the doctor’s beaming face with a single nod. That was all he was going to get from him.

Will was so incredibly nervous. He lightly shook his hands, water dripping down in the sink.

“I didn’t mean to upset you, Will,” the doctor’s voice sounded gentle, careful.

“You didn’t upset me,” Will lied, “I’m absolutely fine with not talking to each other. That’s the only way I can avoid your analytical ambush, actually.”

Will dried his hands, back still turned to the doctor. Desperately trying to keep busy so that he didn’t have to face him. And he knew his behaviour was already telling the doctor more than he could find out in hours of therapy.

“I let Jack talk me into meeting you without giving you a fair notice,” the doctor went on, pretending like he didn’t notice Will’s clear annoyance. “But now that I have you here, in front of me, I realize that was the wrong approach. I regret that deeply.”

The doctor moved to stand right in front of Will and smiled again. Will caught a glimpse of it with a quick glance.

“Is there any hope we could start again? Just the two of us, without Jack’s oppressive presence hovering over us both?”

“I. Don’t. Need. Therapy,” Will repeated.

“I could tell you that is exactly what someone who needs therapy would say.”

“You can, do as you please.”

Will took a step towards the door, but the doctor grabbed his arm. Being touched was usually enough to make him downright furious.

Usually.

“I will apologise to you each and every time we meet, if that can be of any use,” the doctor promised.

“This was the first and last time you saw me. Have a nice day, Doctor Lecter.”

Will’s discomfort grew to be unbearable whenever the man got close; not only Will couldn’t meet his eyes, but even just staring at a random spot on his face felt like too much.

His high cheekbones, his light, almost non-existent eyebrows, his angular and menacing appearance were all contrasting with his deep, kind voice.

His peculiar accent, probably beyond correction at that point of his life…

Will wasn’t able to focus on his lecture; his mind kept travelling back to that morning’s meeting whenever he started introducing a new topic to his students. His brain was stubbornly pointing out to him that he couldn’t just shrug the doctor off and pretend he hadn’t piqued his interest.

His students were swarming out of the classroom as soon as he announced the lecture was over. Except for someone still sitting alone in the last row.

Will gathered his bag and his jacket and made his way out. If the student had had any doubts he wanted to clarify with Will, he would have already asked him…

He wasn’t a student.

Will froze on the spot and stared at the doctor, still comfortably sat in his chair.

Will took off his glasses, and he sighed and scratched his forehead without turning away. “Are you going to stay there until my next lecture?” he teased.

“To be completely honest, my original intention was to leave the room before you could see me. I’m not following you, really.”

“This is not how you prove that. I mean, did you just sneak in while I wasn’t watching?” Will replied.

“On my defence, I really was interested in your lecture. I don’t get to listen to a qualified profiler speak about criminal psychology every day.”

Will shrugged. “Well, my course is open to... whoever has Jack’s permission, I guess.”

“Oh, no, I wouldn’t want to annoy you more than what I already did. I swear I did not come here with the intention of getting you to talk to me again.”

“I meant that, though,” Will quickly explained, “My lectures are open. You may freely attend, if that’s what you want, I don’t mind.”

Will suddenly felt like he couldn’t completely give up on his chances to get to know the man that had been haunting his thoughts for the last couple of hours.

“Oh,” the doctor seemed quite surprised by Will’s words, but he also looked… delighted? His lips stretched into a wide smile. Again. Did the man just smile all the time?

“I’m afraid Jack will still insist on finding someone to do your evaluation,” the man warned.

Will shrugged. “Well, let him know you’re on it, then.”

Will left the room, followed by another beautiful smile.

He couldn’t really pin down the exact moment his mind had labelled the doctor’s smile as ‘beautiful’.

He left the Academy with a similar smile on his face.

 

 

 

“May I come in?” the doctor asked, standing just outside his room.

What the...? How did he find Will, how long did he drive to get there?

“Where’s Jack?” Will asked instead, as if any other question depended on that one.

When the doctor told him he came there alone, Will frowned. “Is this another way to reassure me that you’re not following me?” he asked.

“Indeed it is,” the doctor smiled, “And I made you breakfast, too, in case you still had any doubt about that. May I come in?”

Will gave up and moved to let the doctor inside. His motel room was small, messy and shabby. The door almost fell off its hinges when the doctor closed it a bit too forcefully. Will chuckled.

“Very well, I am glad to know there are no hard feelings between the two of us,” the other man remarked as he walked to the table beside the window. He opened his bag and took out tupperware containers and a thermos.

“Don’t be overly dramatic, now, I was just irritated, and I had the right to be. No one likes being analysed like that, Doctor.”

“You’re using the past tense, that is reassuring,” the doctor considered, “Should I try my luck and ask you to be a little less formal? Would you call me by name, Will?”

Will nodded briefly, “Alright, Hannibal.”

“Why don’t you sit down? Eggs and sausage, a healthy protein scramble to start the day,” Hannibal offered.

“You… cooked this yourself? What’s the occasion? Not even my father has ever made me breakfast…” Will couldn’t wait anymore, the food smelled amazing and he was really starving, so he just picked up his fork and started eating from the box.

“Cooking is an… innate passion of mine. And I am willing to do whatever it takes to deserve your forgiveness,” the doctor teased.

Will laughed at that, “Don’t say that aloud, I could take advantage.”

“Please do,” Hannibal promptly replied, staring at Will until the younger man looked down again.

And oh, now Will felt like a ripe, juicy fruit again. Or maybe a delicious dessert. Now that he knew Hannibal enjoyed cooking, his first impression made even more sense.

“We share a mutual acquaintance,” the doctor said, after a few seconds of awkward silence. “Alana Bloom.”

Will nodded, “I don’t see her often.”

“I do,” the doctor went on. “And she mentioned you, a few times.”

Will put down his fork, his eyes turning serious as he raised them to meet Hannibal’s. “Did she tell you about her… professional curiosity about me?”

“She did,” Hannibal replied, “Those were the exact words she used. She also told me about your abilities, and all the speculations they often produce…”

Will sighed, annoyed, forcing a bitter smile that did quite a poor job of hiding his deep disappointment. “She was the one who suggested Jack should call you. She hoped maybe you could finally end all those meaningless speculations and give a clear, exhaustive answer about how my brain really works.”

“Don’t misunderstand me, Will, maybe she really hopes that, and so does Jack… but I don’t,” the doctor whispered, ignoring his breakfast to focus solely on Will. “I have no time for new patients, and I definitely won’t use my free time to consult for the FBI. I only agreed to help Jack because he made your name. And my interest in you is very far from professional. I would never want you as a patient.”

Will swallowed. He ran his hand over his unshaved face. “What is that supposed to mean?” he asked, clearing his throat as soon as the words left his mouth.

“I like you and this is how I’d like to start my courtship?” Hannibal deadpanned.

“And you were worried about being misunderstood…” Will joked.

Hannibal laughed and Will flared up with embarrassment. Being aware of Hannibal’s intention made the whole situation feel heavier. Will felt like he needed time to think about what he was going to say, how he was going to react. His heart and stomach were competing against each other to climb up his throat.

“So…” Hannibal went on, “Since I appreciate honesty and frankness, tell me… should I desist, or may I go on with my courtship?”

Hannibal’s eyes were jumping from Will’s own to his plate and back to Will’s face again, and he almost looked anxious.

“A… courtship doesn’t necessarily mean the feelings are reciprocated, maybe I won’t find you that interesting,” Will tried.

“You will,” the man immediately said. Will bit on his lower lip, hoping to keep it from trembling. The doctor’s voice, cordial and kind just a moment before, was now reeking decisiveness and purpose.

And apparently, Will was the cause of that.

“It’s interesting,” Will whispered, nervously playing with the edge of the container, “Comparing your true intentions to what Jack wanted you to do. It makes me ponder our first meeting from a completely different point of view.”

Hannibal poured him a cup of coffee before pouring one for himself. Will took notice of his politeness.

“My unorthodox approach surprised you? I am justified. I was merely taking advantage of the chance offered to me, regardless of how unprofessional that might sound. I was as sincere as possible, now,” he took a sip of coffee and leaned back on his chair, holding the steaming cup in his hands.

“What…? Why are you interested in me? How do you see me?” Will’s curiosity had the best of him, successfully silencing the voice in his head that kept telling him he should be careful not to appear too needy of validation from the doctor.

“You’re the mongoose I want under the house when the snakes slither by,” Hannibal slowly explained, “And at the same time, a fragile little teacup, the finest china used for only special guests.”

Those were… the most delicate and accurate words anybody had ever used to describe him, considering he was used to people calling him a crazy psychopath. The doctor seemed to be able to grasp Will’s nature at its core as easily as he could find the right words to convey it in two simple, perfect images.

Will felt like his face had just caught fire; when did this man, who met him just a few days before, take time to think about all this?

And had Will ever been more grateful that he chose to give someone a chance for once, instead of immediately pushing them away?

“What will your… courtship be about?” Will asked, eyes still fixed on the table.

“Should I really spoil the surprise?” Hannibal replied, his voice amused. “Very well, then… taking care of your mental health,” that made Will smile, “Refining your palate with my cooking, maybe dedicating a few works of art to you…”

Will’s loud laughter echoed through the room.

The doctor was incredibly old-fashioned, and his smart arrogance and disarming honesty in telling him exactly what he wanted from Will were very charming.

It felt good to be the centre of Hannibal’s focus; it felt weird, too, and too fast and unexpected, bizarre and so wrong that it ended up feeling perfectly right.

Will’s phone interrupted their staring contest. He got up and answered it.

“Alright, yes, no problem,” he said, putting the phone down again. “Would you like to come with me?” he asked Hannibal, “Jack wants me to stop by a construction site to check on some stuff. Nothing special.”

“I will gladly join you,” Hannibal said, getting up. He started putting everything back in his bag.

Will put his mobile in the front pocket of the first pair of pants he found on his bed, still carefully following Hannibal’s movements. “We’re not in a hurry…” he whispered, not loud enough for the doctor to hear, then he cleared his throat.

Hannibal raised his head and quickly turned around, “Did you say something?”

“How long…? Ehm… How long is this courtship supposed to last? You know, I’m not really used to this…” Will said, taking a few steps towards the other man. He was very aware he was still wearing his nightwear, a plain t-shirt and a pair of boxers, but he didn’t think that was going to be a problem.

Hannibal had rapidly taken him away from the discomfort of their first meeting in Jack’s office, when he felt like a recently discovered creature splayed out under a magnifying glass, and now there was a new, exciting sense of uneasiness surrounding him. The awkward awareness that came with accepting their situation without even thinking it over, encouraging and appreciating the doctor’s direct approach.

Hannibal looked him over, and it wasn’t just his hungry stare that made Will feel like a crème caramel, this time; his organs and limbs were all slowly turning into pudding.

“I am not, either. My suggestion is to let ourselves be guided by our unquestionable spontaneity,” the doctor stated.

“Unquestionable,” Will repeated.

Hannibal reached out with his hand and pressed his palm to Will’s cheek. He slowly stroked his cheekbone with his thumb, he leaned in and gently touched his lips to the corner of Will’s mouth. He smelled and tasted faintly of coffee, and the kiss was wet and soft, demanding nothing more than that brief touch. Hannibal didn’t move too far away, he stared at Will from inches away and licked his own lips.

Will kissed him back, just as innocently as Hannibal had done, but on the doctor’s lips, completely covering them with his own. The first kiss felt so good that Will needed a second taste right away. He didn’t go any further than that, though.

“For someone who just came into my life a few days ago,” Will whispered against Hannibal’s lips, “You did change it a lot already.”

“I couldn’t ask for more,” Hannibal replied, stealing another quick kiss to emphasize his statement. “And I haven’t even started, yet.”

“I need to… get dressed,” Will mumbled, pointing at the trousers still abandoned on the edge of his bed. He shook his head at his own idiotic obvious statement.

He put on his pants and his shirt, catching the doctor staring at him on a few occasions and failing to find anything better to do but giggle with him like a couple of silly teenagers.

Driving to the construction site didn’t take long. Will didn’t speak much and Hannibal didn’t try to start another conversation about their weird, blossoming relationship.

Will stopped the car, turned to face the doctor and asked: “What are you smiling at?” before getting out of the car and starting to chuckle to himself.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on Tumblr doing a lot of stupid things Hannibal related. If you want to join me... :  
> [HE-S-DEAD-JIM](http://he-s-dead-jim.tumblr.com)


End file.
